This past spring break, I traveled to Grenoble, France, to embark upon the second part of an exchange with a French student named Eléonore. Though my stay lasted only two weeks, through my several days at school, trips to cities, and adventures on the bus, I was able to learn many things about France and even make some comparisons to our own culture. It was a far greater educational experience than I had ever expected, not only in terms of linguistics (we spoke French the entire time) but also in terms of the cultural exposure that I witnessed during my journey.

Perhaps the first difference I noticed between the two strikingly different countries was the contrast between eating patterns. In America, I find that teenagers tend to eat smaller but generally less healthy meals and eat more often; in other words, we consume processed snacks. French teenagers eat much larger meals overall, though despite their nine and a half hour school day, they don’t tend to snack, and both lunch and dinner are eaten at much later times. Family meals are also a large part of the culture: every kid I asked ate dinner every night during the school week with their entire family, whereas in America I find that to be a highly unusual occurrence.


Despite the fact that the French, on average, probably consume more calories than we do, I did not see a single overweight person during my entire stay. Though I can’t offer a professional opinion on the subject, I can make a correlation between their size and their exercise habits. In America, public transportation is prevalent only in major cities such as New York; in France, there is not a single teenager who does not utilize either the tram or the bus system. This often involves walking up to a mile to find the right stop, and in most cases, one stands during the ride, which can last anywhere from two to thirty minutes. In general, walking is a lot more popular than in America, even in relatively small cities such as Grenoble and villages such as the Rhône-Alpes, but particularly in major cities such as Lyons and Paris. While cars are seen everywhere, teenagers especially use them as a last resort to get where they need to go. It is this key difference in transportation mentality that I find to be the link between health and French society.


The education system in France is also amazingly different from ours. I went with Eléonore to a private Catholic school, so perhaps it was different from the public system, but the first thing I noticed was the length of the day. Classes start at 8am, but the day does not end until 5:30pm, with a lunch break that lasted anywhere from one to three hours. Classes themselves last 50 minutes, and with the exception of foreign languages and “special classes” (classes which can be taken by kids who wish to excel in a particular subject), students stay in the same room for each class and it is the teachers who change rooms.


The way that classes are chosen is also different than in America. By junior year, students are expected to choose the equivalent of what we call a college major. Those who like languages and history or are simply bad at math enroll in a “Literary Section,” which features delayed math and science courses supplemented by numerous foreign language courses and advanced French and History classes. There is also a “Science Section” for those interested in science and pursuing medicine as well as something along the lines of a “Business Section.” What section one chooses, along with his or her score on the enormously influential Baccalaureate exam, determines the college one can attend.


At the end of junior year, all students take the first part of the “Baq,” and this half features the sections which they have focused on during the past year in school. The end of senior year includes the tests for everything else, and by the end of the examination, students will have been tested on everything they have ever learned in school. Due to its magnitude as well as its impact on one’s future, the “Baq” is an incredibly stressful and vitally important part of a French student’s career, and practically their entire high school experience (particularly their junior and senior year) is focused around the test.


I personally believe that the education system in the U.S. has an advantage over the one in France. First of all, the majority of American students can take practically any class they choose (provided they have passed the previous level) and are not limited by being forced to choose any type of major. This results in a broader base of general knowledge, as well as the ability to progress in different subjects based on level rather than disregarding a certain subject because one isn’t naturally good at it. Also, in America, students are not required to choose a career path until — or even after — college. Because American students have longer to deliberate, they can approach the decision with more maturity and with more life experience — two essential factors in determining one’s future. Though we do have the SAT, it can be taken multiple times and is not the be-all-and-end-all of our future.


While there were many other differences that I observed during my two week stay in France, those concerning eating habits, travel and exercise habits, and the educational system were by far the most significant that I witnessed. More subtle differences, such as fashion (I found that everyone there tended to be more put together, i.e. no sweatpants or sweatshirts) were also noticeable, and made the trip the valuable experience that it was. In my opinion, that is the perhaps the most motivating reason to visit other countries: to discover that although the United States influences the entire world, each country is still able to maintain its identity and conserve its unique cultural aspects.